A childhood friend of the man accused of killing two prostitutes testified Wednesday she had a 'bone-chilling' experience when she visited him at the remand centre.
Rebecca Kroetsch told her story in a voir dire today, a special hearing to determine whether controversial evidence can be taken in to account when the judge makes his final decision.
The testimony was part of the double murder trial for Thomas Svekla. He is charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Rachel Quinney, 19, and Theresa Innes, 36.
Kroetsch told the court she visited her former friend at the Edmonton Remand Centre shortly after his arrest. She testified she was frightened of him even with a partition between them.
She said he told her to send a message to a female friend they both grew up with.
"I want you to tell her that she was the first one," Kroetsch quoted Svekla saying. "She was the first one I ever hurt. She was the first one to see the boogeyman."
The woman Svekla refers to, according to the witness, was one of his former girlfriends who testified Tuesday that he choked her.
The woman, who cannot be identified, said she was partying with Svekla and some friends at her family's farm near Fort Saskatchewan when the others left to go to a bar.
She said Svekla returned bleeding and when she went to get him bandages, he threw her to the carpet and choked her.
Kroetsch also testified Svekla told her that people are interested in serial killers and that he could write a book on the topic and make a lot of money.
The trial continues Thursday.
